Some fees for various Hastings city services were set for the next fiscal year for activities handled by the city clerk, assessor, cemetery, department of public services, planning and zoning and the police and fire departments, effective July 1.
There were very few changes other than the sewer and water rates going up about three percent; most are the same as last year, City Manager Jeff Mansfield said.
The cost of 100 cubic feet of water goes from $1.56 to $1.61. Base charges were also raised; a meter 5/8 to ¾, the smallest meter listed, goes from $6.80 to $7.10. The largest meter, 8 inch, goes from $754.22 to $776.85.
The water system improvement fee for all new or enlarged water service connections will be $2,070, up from $2,009. Sewer rates will be $3.38 for 100 cubic feet of water use, up from $3.28.
A complete list of all the changes is available at city hall.
Also Monday, the council took Chris Morgan up on his offer to donate a piece of land to the city adjacent to the Bliss Park and Riverwalk Trail. Mansfield said the property is almost entirely in the Thornapple River floodplain with many restrictions on its use, but was “a beautiful piece of land” and would be a good addition to the park.
The council approved paying $1,800 for a Phase I Environmental study, $1,000 for a survey and $350 for closing costs. Mansfield will bring the results of the environmental study back to the council.
In other business the city will continue the inspection of rental units in the city by Professional Code Inspections. The company has done the inspections for years, and offered to renew an expiring contract to continue the registration, inspection and compliance of rental units at the same rate as last year.
Mansfield said the state law has been changed to require the tenant to allow permission to inspect the premises instead of the owner/property owner. He and PCI are working on how to comply with the change, and will also work with landlords on gaining access. The city is not required to conduct rental inspections. If the council decided not to continue inspections, it would not affect the PCI contract, they would “just not do it,” he said.
The council also approved extending a contract with Perceptive Services to assess and clean an additional 11,000 feet of sanitary sewer mains and 260 additional manholes for a total increase of $36,325.10 to the contract, leaving $126,000 in the SAW grant for the work, Department of Public Services Director Lee Hays said.
